42 Birds of Colorado 



black centrally, pale buffj' laterally ; speculum bright green, bordered 

 in front by buffy, below by black and behind with a little white ; a 

 white patch on the sides of the breast ; iris brown, bill black, feet 

 dusky. Length 14-0; wing 7'5 ; tail 2-75; culmen 1-5; tarsus 1*20. 



The female has no crest and the speculum is less perfect ; the head 

 and neck are streaked with dark and tawny -brown, the throat and 

 lower-parts are white and the back, sides and breast dusky, 

 scolloped and mottled with bufT. 



Distribution. — Breeding from New Brunswick along the northern 

 tier of states to Oregon, northwards to the Barren Grounds of Alaska, 

 and south along the mountains to New Mexico ; in winter south to the 

 south-western United States, Mexico to Mexico City and the West 

 Indies. 



The Green-winged Teal is one of the commonest of the migrating 

 Ducks in Colorado, and is also a resident. It is one of the earliest to 

 arrive, reaching Fort Lyon February 20th to March 3rd, Loveland 

 February 21st, and SaUda March 27th (Frey). It is common on the 

 Arkansas near Pueblo in April and September (Beckham), and has 

 been observed as high as Breckenridge on migration by Carter, and 

 at Crested Butte by Warren. 



On the western slope it is the commonest Duck at Coventry on 

 migration only (Warren) and also in Mesa co. (Rockwell). It has 

 been found nesting at San Luis Lakes by Henshaw and is stated to 

 be a common summer resident in Estes Park by Kellogg, and at Barr 

 by Hersey and Rockwell, where it is also not uncommon in winter. 



Habits. — "This handsome little duck," writes Goss, 

 " is usually found in small flocks along the edges of 

 shallow, grassy waters, feeding largely on seeds, aquatic 

 plants and insects ; they fatten very fast in the rice- 

 fields, and are very fond of acorns. In exposed situations 

 they feed largely at night, resting by day on bare spots 

 surrounded and hidden by reeds. They are perhaps 

 the best-tasting of our ducks." 



Henshaw found this species nesting at San Luis Lakes, 

 on June 24th ; the nest was placed under a sage bush 

 thirty feet from the water ; it consisted of a hollow in 

 the sand, lined Avith grasses, and down plucked from the 

 parent-birds' breast. The eggs were pale yellow and 

 measured 1-80 x 1'30. The usual complement is 9 to 12, 

 but as many as eighteen have been found. 



